GT350 Engine Concerns...

[Threebanger]

Yup. I was in the same boat and said F it! YOLO! Couldn't be happier with it!

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[Rubyred17]

I was reading through some responses To a Facebook group GT 350 forum and it appears that there were 10 or 11 people who admitted to a failed engine (rod bearing or excess oil use). I was thinking that that list has 8,900 members and if we assume that only 1/2 of those members actually actively own a GT350 that is approximately 4,000 owner cars represented. Further, I saw 11 responses claiming failed engines and if we assume the failure rate is 4 times that because people are shy or do not want to report their engine problems that is 50 engines. That produces a failure rate of 1.25%. The Overrun study that was published earlier was roughly one half of that amount but did not include excessive oil consumption as a cause for failure. Bottom line is failures aren’t not as high as one might be thinking from reading some of these posts. Get out and drive them! My math might be off a little but not enough to move the needle that far.

One last piece of information related to the 1.25 % rate I SWAGed above. According to Warranty Direct fords average engine failure rate was 1 failure in 80 which is also 1.25 pct - no joke I did not know that when I calculated the above number.

It could way worse, Audi has a 3.7 % failure rate and BMW is 2.2%

See- all is well in voodoo land

 

[Calipony]

I was reading through some responses To a Facebook group GT 350 forum and it appears that there were 10 or 11 people who admitted to a failed engine (rod bearing or excess oil use). I was thinking that that list has 8,900 members and if we assume that only 1/2 of those members actually actively own a GT350 that is approximately 4,000 owner cars represented. Further, I saw 11 responses claiming failed engines and if we assume the failure rate is 4 times that because people are shy or do not want to report their engine problems that is 50 engines. That produces a failure rate of 1.25%. The Overrun study that was published earlier was roughly one half of that amount but did not include excessive oil consumption as a cause for failure. Bottom line is failures aren’t not as high as one might be thinking from reading some of these posts. Get out and drive them! My math might be off a little but not enough to move the needle that far.

One last piece of information related to the 1.25 % rate I SWAGed above. According to Warranty Direct fords average engine failure rate was 1 failure in 80 which is also 1.25 pct - no joke I did not know that when I calculated the above number.

It could way worse, Audi has a 3.7 % failure rate and BMW is 2.2%

See- all is well in voodoo land

 

[Calipony]

I don't know I'm an old fart(75) and had both a 16 and 17 new. And in sport mode I haven't heard that good of exhaust since back in the 60's with glasspacks on those big block V8's. I'm not so sure the stock Shelby GT 350 didn't sound a little deeper tone. I've read on here (don't know if true that without the resonators its a bit raspy). I'd say leave the exhaust alone!

I’m not a fan of Rasp, I’ll do the research
so when I get to that point it will quick and easy.

 

[JZTRK]

I am on my 2nd gt350
#1 was a tech 2016 zero issues I mean none!!! no oil no ticks I beat the hell out of it sold it at 18k mi
#2 is a 2019 R 1k mi on it so far no issues no oil in the catch can

 

[Johnnydarkgt350]

As having owned 23 mustangs; this is the “ one “ , in every respect. I’m happy to share the cost vs ownership secret; we are almost in the “ no cost zone” . In other words what you pay for it and what you resell it for are getting very close. Considering this is the last year of the six speed manual GT 350 lines up with future resale. A new GT350R MSRP is 77k ?78K? And a babied low mile example 16 maybe 50 to 55? And I doubt that it will depreciate much more . Sooo other than tax , you might be able to own a 2016 GT350R for three to five years for only a 5k$ . Also the worm gear/ hose clamp trick stops any loosening of the early oil filter. You’ll never regret buying a GT350 .

 

[Voodoo Velocity]

ANTON WATTSCAR AND DRIVER
2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
FROM THE C/D ARCHIVES

Tested: 2016 Corvette vs. 2016 Shelby GT350

2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Long-Term Road Test

We Test the 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
"While it might not be the rarest or most powerful Mustang conceived in Dearborn, the modern GT350 is easily the most exotic. When the car was born, its heart beat to a different rhythm. Wedged beneath the hood was something the Motor City had never put in a production car: a hand-built 526-hp V-8 with a flat-plane crankshaft and an 8250-rpm redline. That's the stuff that gives prancing horses their distinct note. But from the first push of the start button, it was apparent that this pony drinks from a different trough. The exhaust crackles to life, roars, and settles into a lumpy idle that separates it from those rich and creamy Ferraris. And that's fine. Charisma is often lost in modern engines, and the Voodoo V-8 overwhelmingly stirs emotion.

More than just housing this storied engine, the GT350 and track-rat GT350R are legit sports cars. A six-speed manual is the only way to switch gears, and it will take a beating better than the Detroit Lions. The microsuede steering wheel connects the driver to the road; responsive with feedback, the GT350 eagerly changes direction and rockets through apexes. The R, shod with gooey Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber and lightweight carbon-fiber wheels, pulls 1.10 g's on the skidpad and, with the help of Brembo binders, stops dead from 70 mph in an abrupt 146 feet. Plus, it makes the run to 60 in 3.8 seconds. All this for under $64K sounds great, right? Sadly, the price has jumped more than $11K since 2016. But if that's what it takes to keep Ford from sending this pony to pasture, it's worth it." —David Beard

Values, market analysis, auction results, and more on the Ford Mustang Shelby at Bring a Trailer.

 

[Calipony]

As having owned 23 mustangs; this is the “ one “ , in every respect. I’m happy to share the cost vs ownership secret; we are almost in the “ no cost zone” . In other words what you pay for it and what you resell it for are getting very close. Considering this is the last year of the six speed manual GT 350 lines up with future resale. A new GT350R MSRP is 77k ?78K? And a babied low mile example 16 maybe 50 to 55? And I doubt that it will depreciate much more . Sooo other than tax , you might be able to own a 2016 GT350R for three to five years for only a 5k$ . Also the worm gear/ hose clamp trick stops any loosening of the early oil filter. You’ll never regret buying a GT350 .

As I do like the sound of the no cost zone... but I do think I’ll keep the GT350. It’s somewhat of a crown jewel in my eyes.

 

[TDC]

Bought a 2016 (very early production) GT350 and enjoyed it for 4 years, 18000 miles, multiple seasons of autocross plus over 30 track days without an engine issue.
Traded it in for a 2019 Corvette Grand Sport in March 2020 and the car is at the dealer getting a new engine at only 1700 miles.
The two vastly different experiences noted above show that you never know what is going to happen as the old school pushrod engine in the Corvette is supposedly well sorted and “bullet proof” as many car enthusiasts have reported. Get the GT350 and don’t mod the engine. The car is great and don’t worry so much about something that’s a crap shoot

 

[Calipony]

Bought a 2016 (very early production) GT350 and enjoyed it for 4 years, 18000 miles, multiple seasons of autocross plus over 30 track days without an engine issue.
Traded it in for a 2019 Corvette Grand Sport in March 2020 and the car is at the dealer getting a new engine at only 1700 miles.
The two vastly different experiences noted above show that you never know what is going to happen as the old school pushrod engine in the Corvette is supposedly well sorted and “bullet proof” as many car enthusiasts have reported. Get the GT350 and don’t mod the engine. The car is great and don’t worry so much about something that’s a crap shoot

Sounds good to me!

 

[460Fred]

I don't know I'm an old fart(75) and had both a 16 and 17 new. And in sport mode I haven't heard that good of exhaust since back in the 60's with glasspacks on those big block V8's. I'm not so sure the stock Shelby GT 350 didn't sound a little deeper tone. I've read on here (don't know if true that without the resonators its a bit raspy). I'd say leave the exhaust alone!

I’ve lived 62 years and cannot remember hearing a better sounding factory exhaust.
I have no plans of modifying my exhaust either. Sometimes you just don’t want to piss people off. I wish we had a stealth mode so I can crawl out of my neighborhood at 5AM.

 

[madweazl]

I’ve lived 62 years and cannot remember hearing a better sounding factory exhaust.
I have no plans of modifying my exhaust either. Sometimes you just don’t want to piss people off. I wish we had a stealth mode so I can crawl out of my neighborhood at 5AM.

Cold start can be pretty rowdy. I do feel for the neighbors when I leave for work. The rest of the time though, I love it. I had the Borla S-type on my '15 GT and really liked it and from I understand, Ford worked with Borla for the GT350.

 

[lenFeb]

I’ve lived 62 years and cannot remember hearing a better sounding factory exhaust.
I have no plans of modifying my exhaust either. Sometimes you just don’t want to piss people off. I wish we had a stealth mode so I can crawl out of my neighborhood at 5AM.

I had same concern about making my neighbors mad at me. But, eventually like many of us, I replaced resonators with straight pipes. The only loud sound it makes when it's in the cold start. For that I don't open my garage door for that moment. It's not loud at all in the normal mode. But when I leave my neighborhood.....

 

[Tank]

Bought a 2016 (very early production) GT350 and enjoyed it for 4 years, 18000 miles, multiple seasons of autocross plus over 30 track days without an engine issue.
Traded it in for a 2019 Corvette Grand Sport in March 2020 and the car is at the dealer getting a new engine at only 1700 miles.
The two vastly different experiences noted above show that you never know what is going to happen as the old school pushrod engine in the Corvette is supposedly well sorted and “bullet proof” as many car enthusiasts have reported. Get the GT350 and don’t mod the engine. The car is great and don’t worry so much about something that’s a crap shoot

Ain’t that a kick in the teeth...

Sorry to hear you’re going through that.

 

[Rubyred17]

I had same concern about making my neighbors mad at me. But, eventually like many of us, I replaced resonators with straight pipes. The only loud sound it makes when it's in the cold start. For that I don't open my garage door for that moment. It's not loud at all in the normal mode. But when I leave my neighborhood.....

Yes- if you google “corvette engine failures” you will see some reports of C6 - C8 failures. It happens to all

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